Last Resort is our favorite series this fall so needless to say that we were very excited to chat with series star Daisy Betts who took time out of her day to go over some of our burning questions regarding her character Grace Shepard, the acting on the show and what is coming up for the series.

Let’s start by talking about your character, Grace Shepard. How would you describe her?

Daisy Betts: Grace is an intelligent, capable, gutsy lieutenant trying to survive in a man’s world and constantly having to prove herself. That’s a pretty good description of her. She’s really strong and tough and capable, but then she’s also very isolated in this situation. She is one of very few women in this whole story, and so I’m sure that the rest of the crew are going back to their racks at night and saying, ‘This situation is out of control,’ and talking about it and talking about their fears and whatever, and who does she talk to? No one. She’s got no one, because she can’t let anyone know that she’s having any minute of doubt. So she has all this turmoil going on inside, but then she just bucks up and deals with whatever threat is thrown at them. She’s pretty convincing as she does it. So she’s fun to play.

Grace essentially has to toe the line with everything she does. How do you as an actress take that on?

Daisy Betts: I’m very grateful because Grace is written very well. I love the ink play. I love that she’s really sharp. The interplay with Prosser I love, that she gives as good as she gets. I think that she is a very capable character, so that’s nice, when you know you can do what you’re asked to do. And she really does prove herself, especially in a couple episodes time. She’s basically in charge of everything and she really steps up to the plate, because she has a big potential that she could fail dramatically and that would’ve taken her character and the show in a totally different direction. Thankfully that doesn’t happen. Yeah, every week just proving to everybody why she got to the position she got to and what she’s capable of more than anyone would’ve ever expected, I think.

Do you feel that she’s also proving it to herself, that this is the right job for her?

Daisy Betts: Absolutely, absolutely because I think what has ruled her for her whole life is that she’s the admiral daughter. So she’s always improving herself, but she’s been doing it for someone else, and now that’s changed because she’s doing it for herself. She doesn’t have her father looking over her shoulder. She doesn’t haven’t to do kind of any action to make her father proud. She’s for the first time really thinking on her own and realizing what she is capable of, and maybe even how she can use that to her advantage.

Beyond the great story material and visuals, there are also the great performances of you, Scott Speedman, Andrew Braugher and others. Is there something you feel everyone is doing to enhance the performances or is it just purely organic?

Daisy Betts: It’s pretty organic, but I have to say that Andre Braugher, he’s an amazing actor and he’s an amazing person. So with him at the helm, so to speak, of our show, that sets the tone for everybody. It makes you want to be better; he’s so professional, so everybody else should be professional to that level. He’s always prepared. He basically learns the whole script inside out, so at any minute he can just quote any conversation between characters. Sometimes I think he knows my storyline better than I do.

When you’re with him and you feel like you’re not doing the best job, you feel bad because it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s Andre Braugher and I’m just not delivering,’ or something. So I do feel that, and then after seeing that scene with Sam and Marcus at the end of last week’s episode, that was a really beautiful scene. It could have gone in a direction, in a soapy direction, I think, and it really didn’t. There was so much truth, in a way, as Scott, as Sam, told the anecdote, the story, and you really got a sense for the human nature of Marcus Chaplin. I just thought that it was so informative, that little scene, about everything that’s going on, that we’re all humans in this situation. I was crying.

I’m with you. I was choked up.

Daisy Betts: Yeah, totally. So it’s an absolute pleasure to work with this cast. We’re trying, working really, really hard, and just trying to deliver the same sort of standard every week. The script won’t let you down and hopefully nothing else will.

Can you tease what’s coming up in future episodes?

Daisy Betts: Well, there’s so much. I think what’s amazing is that every time you think you’ve got it, it’ll take another turn. That’s the biggest thing about this show, because even as I read it, I think, ‘Oh, yeah, yeah. This episode is about that,’ and then it’s not. It’s something much bigger. I think what’s really important to know is that it’s very serious, the stakes are really high, but at some point you are going to see a bit of light relief with the sailors. The stakes are still there, but I think the people in charge realize that without some kind of relief for the crew, it’s going to go crazy. So that was fun to shoot as well because everything that we do is so intense, and so for us to have a game or something along the line is a nice relief for us and for the audience. So, there is a bit of that coming up, too.

What are your thoughts on the fans reaction to the show and all the praise it’s been getting?

Daisy Betts: Well, I just hope that they keep tuning in so that we can keep making it because I’m having a great time down here, and we really think that the show is worth keeping on air, and sometimes with the people high up making the decisions and it’s not really indicative of who’s enjoying the show…sometimes it’s just like a bad time slot or too many people waiting to watch it later, or whatever the case may be, we just hope that it does enough in the ratings regard that we can keep making the show.

I think if it keeps on air it won’t disappoint. I love that everybody is really responding well to it. There have been a few criticisms about it, but you’ve got to remember that it’s television and drama. It’s not a documentary about the military and we’re just portraying people as humans who are flawed and what would you do in this situation. I think it’s really good questions, really strong international themes. I mean, it’s sold to over a hundred countries. I think it’s really relevant everywhere, the patriotism, the loyalties, just the relationship, the love the lost, all of that stuff. So, yeah, I think it’s got all the right ingredients. I hope that it works for everybody.

If you could guest star on any other TV show, which one would it be?

Daisy Betts: I think I’d have to say ‘Mad Men.’ I really love that show and I’d really love to get into that period character.